Breanna swallowed hard. Her heart thudded against her ribcage, throbbing in her pulse, with the ache in her veins. Going by Darcia's reaction after sitting in the chair, she knew someone was on the other side of that door. Someone that Darcia didn't want inside. Panting, Breanna fought to bring her emotions under control as fear and anger slammed against her skin.
"Darcia," Breanna called, landing on the one thing to derail her sister, "tell me what you have done to yourself."
"I enhanced everything about me, I told you that," Darcia's whisper sounded almost reverent, "even my mental telepathy. The girl you have with you is strong, but she will never get into my mind unless I want her in my mind."
"Why is that? Take someone else's talent? Steal someone else's ability?" Breanna heard the heart rate monitor bleep faster, "a shame you didn't take someone's ability to hold your temper." Breanna's lips twitched as the bleeping increased, "perhaps you could have tweaked your gene for greed." A red light started flashing as Darcia's blood pressure rose higher, "what's the problem, not calm enough for the procedure? Still can't handle someone raining on your parade?"
"You want what happened to Mom and Dad to happen to you?" Darcia snarled, the sound reminding Breanna of an angry cat, "keep talking, little sister."
"I think you have that wrong as well," Breanna goaded, "I'm the big sister, little sis. I am beginning to understand," Breanna said. "Mom and Dad tried to talk some sense into you when the military refused to fund you any longer. What did you threaten them with to get them to volunteer for your programme?"
Breanna shuddered, wishing for the heat of the mid-summer sun as Darcia chuckled. Images of horror movies and axe murders flashed through Breanna's mind at the sound. Darcia's heart rate was still beeping fast. "The only thing that ever mattered to them," Darcia snarled, "YOU!"
Breanna tried to move as Darcia flashed out of the metal chair, heading for her with a sharp-looking silver object. Knife? Bone saw? Cleaver? She wasn't sure, but she was pretty confident she would die and not get to finish what she had started. She had never been one to leave something unfinished. Sadness washed through her. Surprisingly the sensation anchored in never seeing David again. Right now, she could do with a physical barrier to throw up in front of herself to protect not just herself but everyone who meant anything to her. Breanna could hardly breathe. Squeezing her eyes shut, she waited for the death knell of the blade, expecting pain to rip through her and end her existence. She wasn't ready to die … not like this.
"Darcia. Stop." a booming deep male voice vibrated off the walls, startling everyone.
Darcia turned toward the open door of the procedure room. The murderous implement still raised. Breanna couldn't see through her watering eyes. The painful heaving of her chest made her ears ring. Who was it?.
"No," Darcia shook her head, her hand lowering. "This is not possible. You said you were on my side," she stepped away from Breanna, "you said you would deliver her to me to be re-trained. You did as you said; now you want me to stop."
"Yes," Breanna heard the voice say, "I did. I said all those things, but you were holding my sister. You said she would be safe only if I did what you said I was to do. You said you wouldn't hurt her."
"You can have her if you let me kill my sister," Darcia's cajoled, "she is unharmed as I promised."
"You broke that promise," the voice moved anti-clockwise around the room, showing the person to be David, "my sister was cloned. That process is excruciating. She was harmed when you experimented on them."
Darcia stared at him, chuckling, "You have spoken with her. Taken them all away. Your sister and brethren may be out of this place, but they will never be free. I made them dependent."
"Do you mean the injections required daily?" David cocked his head, "I've been without them for a while, and I have no problems at all. Actually, I feel better than ever."
"Who told you about the injections?" Darcia frowned, her eyes darting from side to side, "well, there is the matter of the necklaces. I can kill them off whenever I want."
"They don't have those either," David said, "and neither do I."
"They will need me to stabilise them," desperation leaking into Darcia's voice, "I am the only way they can survive."
"Wrong again," David said, moving further into the room, while Kyle, Tania, and some others Breanna couldn't see moved in behind him, "I don't need you to survive. Why would they?"
"Their enhancements are not complete," Darcia said, her gaze calculating, "do you want them to die?"
"Darcia," Breanna shook her head, "they would still be tied to a chair if their enhancements were not complete. Try again."
Snarling, Darcia turned toward Breanna, raising the death implement high over her head; Breanna felt her eyes widen, a gasp escaped her. She was going to die. Closing her eyes, she waited.
An outraged scream ripped through the air as the clatter of metal hitting the tiled floor resonated so deep inside Breanna she thought she had been struck. Looking down at her chest, expecting to see the death implement lodged there, she saw nothing. She was still breathing. No pain. Relief sharp and tight slammed through Breanna. Swinging her eyes in the direction of a raging Darcia standing near the chair, the death implement lying on the floor. Air rushed into her screaming lungs. She was alive. Somehow it had not come near her. Chaos broke out as suddenly as the previous silence. Darcia's sudden scream of frustration seemed unreal from Breanna's helplessly position. Breanna watched as Darcia tried to take on David. Was that correct? Darcia seemed to be struggling to get anywhere near David. A short way from the strange scene, Cara and Clio were working through the clones who seemed oddly mechanical and more interested in keeping Darcia alive. They seemed to be coming from everywhere. Breanna struggled against her restraints; her team needed help. She couldn't move. Couldn't break free of the metal holding her in place. A feeling of helplessness and fury expanded in her chest. The ground seemed to shake a little before subsiding. The sound of flesh meeting flesh drew Breanna's attention to the fast-moving hand to hand combat. From the corner of Breanna's eyes, she saw Tina enter the room.
"Darcia," she shouted, "have you ever thought that if you remove the DNA strand from Breanna or even connect them, you'll be killing yourself."
Darcia's attention swung from David to Tina in the doorway. Nearly half of the clones copied the action. Tina. Everyone seemed surprised to see Tina standing in the laboratory. Watching the room move as one Breanna realised Darcia had already perfected the technique of linking genetics. The inattention of the clones bought Cara and Clio the few minutes they needed to quickly reduce the numbers around them. The slaying of the clones connected to Darcia drew a pained snarl as she turned her attention to Cara and Clio. Breanna threw up a mental defensive barrier between Darcia and her friends. The words were highlighted like a neon sign and slowly sank into her mind, her friends. Darcia frowned as she focused harder in their direction. Breanna smiled; her ability was strengthening. Darcia was not able to mentally harm them.
"Tina," David yelled, "what are you doing here?"
"Saving your ass brother," Tina shrugged, "now get a move on."
Darcia's attention turned back to David, her murderous intent in her expression. Breanna glanced around the room. Someone was missing in the fray. Kyle solitary in his intention. Hand on the screen controlling the exam chair's monitoring system while Tania guarded him aggressively. One of the clones picked up the implement of death, throwing it at Breanna. Trying to move out the way, Breanna watched with a warped fascination as the steel implement ricochetted off something unseen surrounding her and lodging itself deep in the clone's chest. Darcia gasped, looking around to see who had been harmed. Seeing the dead clone, she snarled like an angry dog.
Kyle moved to a keyboard, tapping madly while Tania engaged the two clones intent on stopping him. Breanna had to confess this was the most bizarre rescue operation she had experienced. There was no focused order, no clear objective, it seemed a bunch of plans were hashed together in a second, and everyone involved seemed to be having ... fun. Irony rippled through her, tugging a smile to her lips.
A loud clacking brought fresh air brushing against released wrists and ankles, bringing hope, leaving the band around her head. Feeling around the metal band holding her head to the seat with one hand, Breanna fended off grasping, icy hands trying to attach the restraints. Her one foot connected with a part of the human anatomy that drew a grunt, while the other foot succeeded in a crunching noise. The icy hands disappeared.
"David," Tania shout over the din, "now."
Breanna met the calm gaze of Kyle as he stopped next to her.
"Get this thing off me," Breanna panted, "please, get it off me."
"Move your hand and let me do it," he sounded so calm, controlled and contained. Reaching for the headgear, closing his eyes, he stood motionless. Breanna worried he may have fallen asleep. Suddenly his eyes snapped open, nodding to Tania standing guard as he worked on the headgear.
"Why're you here?" Breanna hissed, "I specifically told Cara ..."
"Take it up with Cara," Kyle cut her off.
A cloned technician ran at Tania wheedling a long serrated knife; Breanna watched with widened eyes as Tania remained still. Blinking again at the unexpected sight of the technician lying on the floor. She looked between Tania and Kyle.
"What is going on?" she asked, struggling to stand.
"One of David's abilities," Kyle said, catching her as her knees buckled, "can you walk?"
"Yes," Breanna nodded, determinedly finding her feet, "what is one of David's abilities boomeranging weapons on the people who hold them?"
"No," Kyle's lips twitched, "whatever he protects cannot be physically harmed."
"I knew that," Breanna shook out her legs and arms, "the question is, how do you?"
"It's a matter of trust," Tania said, "can we discuss this later?"
A ground shuddering roar could be heard within the facility. Everyone looked randomly toward the ceiling, floor and walls.
"Evacuate," Darcia shouted as ceiling dust rained around them.
"Kyle," David shouted, grabbing Tina's hand, "get her out."
Breanna felt herself being hoisted over a broad shoulder as the group headed toward the exit unnoticed in the running swarm of bodies. Breanna smacked Kyle's back.
"Put me down," she shouted.
Outside the lab, Kyle quickly lowered her to the floor, grabbed her hand and made sure she kept pace with the group. Another explosion shuddered the ground as they came to the side entrance.
"Are you doing this?" Breanna shouted.
"Do I look like in a daze at the moment?" he shouted back, "as much as I would like to take credit. This is not me."
Clio, Tania, Cara and David pushed open the round iron door allowing them to spill into the forest as a third explosion ripped through the ground. The surrounding areas may think it was an earthquake.
"Who is setting off the explosions?" Breanna panted, leaning against a large tree trunk.
"None of us," David said, "the rest of the team are guarding Tina," David scowled at his sister, "... her clones and Tula."
"We'd better get back to the group," Breanna said, scanning the surrounding area.
"Cara?" Clio spoke gently. The lone figure motionless, head cocked to the right, eyes fixed open. "Cara, are you all right?"
"Don't touch her," Breanna said, meeting the glazed eyes, "Darcia's mind is strong; she could be in there. If anyone is going to deal with Darcia, it will be me."
Breanna gently placed her hand against Cara's forehead. Images flashed through her mind. The exam room. Two tables side-by-side lying deathly still. There was a mental presence in the room that seemed to be overloading the systems. Pulsing large amounts of energy through the mainframe in the room, angry energy. Breanna was reminded of those Science Fiction movies where ghostly forms floated in the air. It was the same height and build as her mother. What on earth was going on?
"It can't be," Breanna whispered, "my mother's mind seems to have been enhanced and... alive."
"What are you talking about?" David asked.
"The explosions," Breanna explained quickly, "they are being caused by an overloading of the mainframe systems."
"Whose overloading them?" Kyle asked.
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"Darcia has my parents hooked up to heaven knows what machines in a lab," Breanna gasped as the ground shuddered, "she has been enhancing and breeding off them. It seems my mother's mind is overloading the systems."
"I didn't pick up anything other than what the systems do?" Kyle said quietly.
"What were you thinking when you were doing that?" Breanna asked.
"Ummm," Kyle frowned, "I think I had my mind on finding the machine holding you."
"That is the trigger; she has taken over the systems," Breanna nodded in understanding. "Life support may be keeping the body alive, and heaven knows what else Darcia has done to them, but she has a strong telepathic mind. She is holding Cara at the moment."
"Perhaps you need to talk to her," Tania said blandly, checking her weapon before looking around, ever on guard, "if she is in there, she has just heard you figure it out. It could be taken as rude."
Breanna acknowledged the weirdly good advice. Looking from the distracted Tania to Kyle, Clio, and David, who gave a what-do-you-have-to-loose shrug. Breanna moved in front of Cara.
"Mom," Breanna whispered, meeting the glazed eyes, "if you are there, acknowledge that you hear me."
Cara's eyes blinked slowly. Clear eyes looked directly at Breanna.
"I'm Breanna. Can you see the difference in my eyes?"
Cara's head nodded slowly, "Are you and Dad actually dead?"
Another nod.
"Thank you for the distraction," Breanna smiled, "my friends and I are out of Darcia's clutches. You can stop the explosions."
Cara's head shook, "No, the explosions will continue until this place lies in ruins," the breathy reply whispered, "Darcia will not stop. What she does, what this place is ... all of its an abomination. It must be destroyed. She promised not to harm you. Not to harm your brother. She lied … again and again. She broke her promises... again and again."
"If your bodies are not alive, how come your mind is?" Breanna asked
"Procedures Darcia did," came the breathy reply, "when the body dies, the mind does as well and all enhanced abilities as well. Remember that."
Cara's eyes closed, and her body sagged. Kyle moved quickly, scooping the limp form into his arms. The ground shuddered under their feet; the sound of crashing through nearby trees alerted the small group to the approaching company.
"It's all of us," Tula said, stepping from between the bushes with the Tina clones and other team members. The five Tina's formed a small group, hugging. Reilly and Oran stood to one side, watching.
"Is everyone okay?" Tula asked, her eyes moving to Cara in Kyle's arms and then quickly to Oran.
Oran moved to where Kyle gently laid Cara on the ground under the shade of a large tree.
"What happened?" Oran asked, kneeling next to his twin.
"A strong telepath used her mind to speak to me," Breanna said, "I'm sorry. I don't know if she is..."
Breanna swallowed hard, rubbing her forehead.
David stopped beside her, gently clasping her shoulder. Smiling tightly in acknowledgement, Breanna sighed.
"She is in there," Tula whispered, "I feel her. She is tired, but she is there."
Nodding, Oran moved his hands from checking Cara's body to each side of her head and closed his eyes. The group stood statue-like around the pair, a silent vigil of strength and kinship. Oran sat bent over his sister for nearly ten minutes; finally, Cara moaned softly. Oran opened his eyes, holding Cara's head until her eyes fluttered open. She breathed in deeply and slowly exhaled.
"You can let go, Oran," Cara whispered, "I'm back. Thank you."
A collective sigh of relief escaped the group. Scooping Cara into his arms and standing, Oran turned to the group.
"Shall we move now?" he whispered.
Breanna blinked. What had just happened? She had heard of twins having a connection, but this was … another level. She was unsure of the events of the last few moments but grateful Cara was responsive though weak.
"Yes," David nodded, "we're nearly out of time."
Oran looked at David, "Where are we getting our extraction?"
"What extraction?" Breanna looked around bewildered. What had happened while she was down there?
"David has an extraction for us," Clio said, "with the jammers down and explosions, we will be arrested if we don't have military help getting out."
"What happened to the backup?" Breanna asked.
"The backup is the extraction," Tania smiled.
"Is this your contact? Is he the backup … the extraction?" Breanna asked David, "was this in place before we came out here?"
"Yes," David said, quietly clearing his throat. "I made contact last night needing to make sure there are no further casualties. Last night, they were strictly back up..." he indicated toward Cara, "after getting you and now this, it turned into an extraction."
"When were you going to tell me?" Breanna asked, crossing her arms.
"Um … around about now," David said, looking sheepish, "we need to move so we don't get arrested."
Sighing, Breanna nodded, "Lead the way."
The group moved quickly and silently.
"We are close to the extraction point," David whispered, "pay attention. We are not clear of any danger yet."
Random nods of acknowledgement bounced through the group, keeping pace and following David's. The trail became narrow, forcing them to follow David, who increased his speed when a clearing could be seen in the distance. Breanna stepped to one side of the path letting the others pass. She could feel eyes following their progress. Watching. Waiting for an opportunity to strike. Slowly she surveyed the area, trying to find the source of the sensation.
"Stop moving," Breanna said quickly.
The group halted. David moved toward her.
"What is it?" David asked, "we have a clear path ahead."
"Good," she nodded, looking to the left of their position, narrowing her eyes. "Damn," she sighed, finding the smug smiling face of Darcia staring through a gap in the bushes. Breanna watched her sister turn while giving a bone-chilling evil grin. Breanna's anger erupted. The emotion would get a lot hotter and possibly more fatal before this journey ended. She could only hope the fallout was minimal.
"David," Breanna spoke without looking away, "make sure that everyone gets to the extraction point. Reilly, keep them hidden. Don't wait for me if I don't make the extraction point. Darcia cannot be allowed to find or hurt anyone else today," Breanna said, "I need to take care of something."
Ignoring the objections from the group Breanna followed Darcia's route while screaming senses alerted her to ambushes and attacks. Stepping over logs, avoiding twigs underfoot and at body height. Tracking her sister's progress easily, the signs clear and deliberate. The hair on her neck prickled before standing to attention. Breanna slowed. Darcia was close. Suddenly Darcia flew from behind a bush, all punches and kicks. Breanna found herself on automatic defence, blocking the blows and kicks while gauging her sister's strength. Finally, her mind caught up. They practised against each other when they were younger, preparing Breanna for Darcia's fighting style, but this person was different. This was not the Darcia of their youth. Mind and body together on the same page Breanna allowed her instincts and training to take over.
"What do you think you're going to accomplish?" Breanna grunted, landing a few well-placed punches, avoiding Darcia's constant aggressive advance.
"Killing you will make me unique," Darcia panted, going on the offensive. "I will be the only one, and then everyone will know I'm the perfect one out of the two."
"Darcia, that doesn't make sense," Breanna scooped Darcia's legs from under her, "no one will acknowledge anything if there is only one of us."
Quickly Breanna flipped Darcia onto her stomach and pinned her, capturing her arms firmly behind her back.
"You never would listen to common sense," Breanna said, "you always wanted something more. Pushing past the limits of reason and nature. Your madness cannot continue, twin. This stops now."
"Glad to see someone agrees, and we thank you," a male voice spoke behind the dusty pair, "I'll take it from here."
Looking over her shoulder, Breanna found the shadow of a tall man standing between the light and shadows. The voice, build and clothing identified him as David's military contact. What did he think he was going to take from here?
Darcia tensed beneath Breanna, warning her of her sister's attempt to escape. The two struggled briefly. Breanna barely managed to subdue Darcia. He stepped forward into the leaf decorated light of the small clearing. Breanna blinked against the sharpness of the moving sun glinting off his uniform's decorations. She instinctively knew this man. Tension and recognition running through her sister Darcia also knew him. Something felt strange. Almost as if something sat on a warping wave in her mind. A lancing pain cracked open in Breanna's head. She battled to maintain her hold on Darcia as slashing white flashes ripped through her mind.
Sensing the change, Darcia bucked wildly under her, but Breanna refused to give in easily. Darcia finally broke Breanna's hold, jerking until Breanna flew to the side, landing on her back as she struggled between images in her mind and reality. Her lungs contracted painfully as the air whooshed out of her.
"I'm not going anywhere with you, Michael," Darcia spat, stumbling to her feet and running into the surrounding forest, "I will rule."
Rolling onto her knees, Breanna drew in much-needed air, tracking the direction her sister and the man named Michael had taken. Shaking her head to clear it, she fumbled to get her feet under her, staggering to an upright position. Pressing the base of her palm to her temple where a sudden ache had developed. Disorientation swam through her making her environment uncertain. She fought for focus, trying to keep her mental and physical balance. A rustle in the surrounding foliage brought Breanna to face the arrivals stepping through the greenery. Cara appeared leaning on Oran, who matched his pace to hers while the rest of the group stepped through. Breanna stumbled. Closing her eyes, she waited for the spinning to stop.
"Are you okay?" David asked, gently cupping her elbow.
"Yes," Breanna said, awkwardly clearing her throat, "I am now. Darcia is going to kill that man. What are you doing here?"
"This is the rendezvous point for the extraction," David said, looking around, "Michael was supposed to meet us here."
"He went after Darcia," Breanna said, looking in the direction the pair went, narrowing her enhanced vision. She could make out two bodies facing each other. One Breanna guessed was Darcia, held something in the mottled sunlight that glinted through the leaves of the covering trees, making a strange pattern of shadows.
Foreboding slammed into Breanna's chest. She had to do something. The man named Micheal was their safe passage out of this situation. If Darcia killed him, they would end up behind bars. Again. The answers they needed would go unanswered. Another unacceptable possibility would be having to fight their way out instead of leaving invisibly, quietly and safely. For Breanna, it was critical to get them all out. Alive.
"David, protect everyone, Reilly … you know what to do …" Breanna said, quickening her pace toward the pair.
"Where are you going?" David asked.
"Getting our ride out of here," she said over her shoulder.
Breanna found Darcia holding a gun on the tall man named Michael. Funny way of "taking it from here". Breanna could hear him talking. He knew Darcia very well. He called her D. Darcia hated any derivative of her name. A memory flashed through Breanna's mind like a hot knife through butter. The same man, younger, laughing, teasing Darcia over something she said or did. He deliberately called her "D". Breathing in deeply, Breanna pushed through the flashing white-hot pain to concentrate on the situation in front of her.
Darcia replied, calling him Michael. Breanna lent against the nearby tree as another memory ripped through her mind. Breanna joked with a very young Michael, but she called him Mike. Breanna moved closer, the words of the conversation filtering to her on the slight breeze, "Really, Michael! Do you think I need a gun to kill you? I could do it with a thought."
"A thought," Michael looked disbelieving, "D, I thought you weren't supposed to experiment on yourself. That was part of the contract."
"I am above contracts, Michael," Darcia snarled, lowering the gun, "I am going to be someone everyone will want to know, to revere, to embrace."
"No," Michael shook his head, "you've turned yourself into something everyone will fear and hate. D, can't you see you will not achieve whatever you want by taking it. It didn't work as kids, and it's not going to work now. Please. Stop this and just come in."
"I'm not coming in," Darcia took a step toward him, "I'm not going to be terminated because of something magnificent I have accomplished."
"What is magnificent about kidnapping and torturing innocent men and women," Michael raised his voice, "Darcia, you have become a monster."
"I'm not a monster," Darcia shouted, "I am invincible."
Michael groaned, clutching his head; his knees buckled, sinking him to the floor, his expression rippling painfully.
"See, Michael," Darcia grinned evilly, "I'm much better than Breanna will be or ever was. I can control the outcome to anything or anyone."
"Breanna wouldn't try to kill me," the writhing man gasped, "she has a good and pure heart. She would never harm anyone. She would protect them."
"Why is it always the same? Breanna is such a loving person," Darcia mimicked. "Breanna has a heart of gold," she continued to mock more aggressively, "it is always Breanna," Darcia screamed. Micheal crumpled on the ground, groaning as Darcia increased the pain level, "I'm sick of hearing about goody two shoes Breanna."
"Then you shouldn't say my name so often," Breanna moved in front of Michael's gasping, writhing form.
Expanding her mental protective ability out like a force field. She hoped it would cover both of them; otherwise, neither of them would survive. Michael sucked in oxygen until his breathing became a harsh pant. Breanna could feel relief ripple from him.
"You. Again," Darcia shrieked, "why won't you stay out of my business?"
"I could say the same thing," Breana yelled back at her, "you are always in mine. Never leaving me alone. Now I'm returning the favour."
"I will not let you interfere again," Darcia shouted.
"You have to stop hurting people," Breanna said.
"I'm not hurting anyone," Darcia said, suddenly calm, "I'm making better people. I'm making them more than their normal selves."
"What do you think you're doing right now? Look at what you're doing to Michael," Breanna indicated the man rolling to his knees behind her.
"Getting rid of negative input," Darcia spat out, her eyes focused intently on Michael.
Frustration rippled over Darcia's face when realising she could not hurt him with Breanna standing in front of him.
"This has to work. I have both of you where I ..." Darcia clutched at her chest suddenly, crying out, staggering back a step or two, bewilderment on her face.
This was the chance Breanna needed; she had to stop her sister. She had to put a hold on her. Knock her out but looking at her, Breanna found herself unable to do either. Tears filled her eyes as she looked at the jealous, insane person once her other half, sister, and friend.
"What are you doing?" Darcia gasped, backing away, "how can you do this? You shouldn't be able to do this."
Not trusting Darcia's intentions or actions, Breanna stood silently, protecting Michael and herself. Darcia stumbled backwards, gasping for air, turning and disappearing into the forest. Only when she could no longer sense Darcia did Breanna sigh, close her eyes, wipe the moisture from her cheeks and relax her ability.
"What the hell was that all about?" a rasping voice asked.
Breanna could hear the group moving toward them. Turning, she smiled at Clio as she stepped from behind a tree. David from another tree.
"Mike," David greeted the man, "we thought we'd find you here. It's clear, you can come through now."
Breanna watched as miraculously, the rest of the group appeared. Michael stood staring with confusion in his eyes.
"Intro's later," David said, "Mike, this is not Darcia's clone. This is Breanna."
Breanna looked up into a pair of moss green eyes, "Michael … I believe that is what Darcia called you."
"Breanna," he whispered her name reverently, "it is really you?"
Breanna looked between David and Michael, confused, "In the flesh."
"We were told you were dead," Michael whispered.
"No," Breanna shook her head, "just part of Darcia's twisted programme. I feel like I should know you. If you are actually the brother Darcia gloated about earlier."
"She gloated?" Michael shook his head.
"Something about how she had successfully freed me from my family erasing all my memories," Breanna sighed, shaking her head. "I don't think she did a good job. I have bits and pieces of flashbacks."
"I wanted to take her in," Michael said, looking in the direction Darcia fled, "why did you let her go?"
"I was protecting you," Breanna said, "or would you prefer to have died in agony? Besides, it's not that easy to take out a family member, no matter how nuts they are."
Jarred stepped out of the group, "We need to move people."
"Mike," David stepped between the two, "catch up later … extraction now."
"Right," Michael nodded, his eyes snapping to David, "this way."